Subscription service lets you binge on 60-plus Mac apps

The way Mac users get apps is about to become a lot more like Netflix, thanks to a service launching today called Setapp.

Created by the folks at MacPaw, Setapp is a new app subscription service that provides Mac users with an alternative way to try and buy apps instead of going through the Mac App Store.

Its not filled with loads of crap either. Top apps like Ulysses, Blogo, CleanMyMac, iMazing, Pixa, Polarr and Flume are all included. Instead of buying apps individually though, Setapp lets users pay a flat fee for access to hundreds of popular apps.

Setapp just launched publicly today after a being in a private beta for 1.5 months. The service is starting with 61 popular apps, but the list is growing everyday. MacPaw says it hopes to reach 300 high-quality apps once its running at full speed.

MacPaw, the maker of Setapp, is hoping the subscription model will be a win-win for both casual and power users. Subscriptions cost $9.99 per month, but you get unlimited access to handpicked apps. No in-app purchases. Everything just works.

“Both Mac aficionados and casual users are going to be blown away by the new and innovative software available in Setapp,” said Oleksandr Kosovan, CEO of MacPaw. No annoying ads. No paid upgrades. No hidden charges. Just get Setapp, and you’re all set.”

To use Setapp’s collection of apps, subscribers install a folder in the Finder on their Macs. Any of the applications can then be accessed from the Finder and installed as long as the subscription remains active. Users can also use the apps while offline.